Old Valley Furnace, Preston County, West Virginia

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Old Valley - Old Valley Furnace is actually just south of Fayette County in Preston County, West Virginia on Patterson Run, but it is so close and such a well preserved furnace that we include it here in the Fayette County list. According to a report provided by Dave Barnett, and from Lee Maddex at the Institute for the History of Technology and Industrial Archaeology, Andrew Ochiltree and James Caldwell erected the Old Valley Furnace in 1837. Located on Patterson Run, a tributary of Laurel Run, the Old Valley furnace was an independent operation, apparently not related to Jackson's, and was in blast for only a year or two. It was abandoned due to a lack of capital, most likely due to the Panic of 1837.(hpc) (P)(V)(rp-2001-2003). (P)(V)(rp/ww-2001-rp 2003).
To reach the site proceed south on PA 837 to Wymps Gap Road N 39° 45.286' W 79° 47.613'. Go east and south on Wymps Gap Road through Wymp's Gap, 4.15 miles to the West Virginia border. Continue into WV another 0.65 miles and the furnace will be on the left side of the road against the hillside. It is a very well preserved furnace, with charging bench, retaining wall, wheel pit and millrace. You can look up the stack from the inside.
GPS Location N 39° 42.890' W 79° 44.549'

Old Valley Furnace
From across Wymp's Gap road
looking Norttheast - November 2000
Old Valley Furnace
wheel ppit in foreground
looking northeast - Novemer 2000
Old Valley Furnace Special Sources:
A Guide to the Old Stone Blast Furnaces of Western Pennsylvania, Myron B. Sharp and William H. Thomas (s&t)
William W. Parks, Glenview, Illinois (ww)
Kistory of Preston County (Wiley)) p 376 (hpc)
Bill & Kay Miller
Dave Barnett
Lee Maddex, Institute for the History of Technology and Industrial Archaeology
Copyright © Richard Parks, Last Updated March 17, 2010